Alcaraz plagued by leg injury with busy schedule coming up in Acapulco, Indian Wells, and Miami

There is never a good time to be dealing with injuries in professional tennis. But right now certainly isn’t the right time for Carlos Alcaraz.

Alcaraz, who already missed the 2022 Nitto ATP Finals and the 2023 Australian Open, once again struggled with a leg problem during his 5-7, 6-4, 7-5 loss to Cameron Norrie in the Rio Open title match on Sunday evening. The 19-year-old, who seemed to be hampered by a right hamstring injury in his Rio semifinal showdown against Nicolas Jarry, had his left thing heavily taped during. the third set against Norrie.

Struggling to move or push off while serving, Alcaraz failed to close out the final from 7-5, 3-0 up and from a break up in the third. Norrie rallied past his hobbled opponent to triumph after two hours and 41 minutes.

Moving forward, though, the story is Alcaraz’s health. The month of a March is a huge one for him on the calendar, as last year he reached the semi-finals at the Indian Wells Masters 1000 and then won the Miami Masters 1000. Alcaraz is also scheduled to play the 500-point event in Acapulco this coming week in addition to an exhibition in Las Vegas on March 5 prior to Indian Wells. The Spaniard was supposed to play against compatriot Rafael Nadal in Vegas, but Nadal pulled out and now either Taylor Fritz or Frances Tiafoe is the possible opponent.

Of course, all of Alcaraz’s upcoming assignments are now in question following what happened in Rio de Janeiro.

“Physically I couldn’t finish on the same level,” the world No 2 said in the aftermath of his loss to Norrie. “(The leg) influenced (the result) a lot.”

Alcaraz later confirmed that the injury is the same one that forced him out of the Australian Open and he will decide with his team shortly regarding his Acapulco status.

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